Book, 'Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect'

'Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect' by Robert Burns - the Kilmarnock edition

Introduction:

This is the first edition of Robert Burns' work, published on the 31st July 1786 whilst Burns was still farming in Ayrshire. Burns arranged to have it printed and published by a local printer, John Wilson who has a press in Kilmarnock.

Image Rights Holder:

Dumfries & Galloway Museums Service

Ref:

DUMFM:1935.69.5

Project:

39:Robert Burns in Dumfries and Galloway

Material:

Paper; animal skin, leather (boards); gilt

Dimensions:

Page size: 130 mm x 210 mm

What:

Book, 'Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect'

Subject:

The printing of the Kilmarnock edition of his poems was a turning point in Burns' life. He abandoned his plans to emigrate to Jamaica and instead spent the next year or so in Edinburgh where he was acclaimed as a poet and welcomed in Edinburgh Society.

Who:

Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) (lifetime edition of his works)

John Wilson (Kilmarnock) (printer)

John Wilson (Kilmarnock) (printer)

Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) (lifetime edition of his works)

When:

31 July 1786

Where:

Robert Burns House, Dumfries & Galloway

Background:

The printing of the Kilmarnock edition of his poems was a turning point in Burns' life. He abandoned his plans to emigrate to Jamaica and instead spent the next year or so in Edinburgh where he was acclaimed as a poet and welcomed in Edinburgh Society.

Description:

Earlier in 1786 Burns had circulated a prospectus inviting friends and patrons to subscribe to the printing of an edition of his poems. Of this first edition, 350 were paid for by subscribers and a total of only 612 were printed altogether.